Mamacita Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Has anyone read it? My aunt picked a tattered copy of this book up at a B&B in Alaska, of all places. She read it, loved it and sent it on to me. TPOG is the true story of Lalu Nathoy, a young Chinese peasant girl who, despite being assured by her father that she's his "treasure", his "thousand pieces of gold", is sold by him into slavery for a few bags of grain. A spunky, independent child from birth, Lalu remains defiant, and refuses to accept her status as a slave. This attitude ultimately saves her from being forced into prostitution in the notorious brothels of 1870's San Francisco. Instead, she's sent to a gold camp and acts as a servant to a saloon owner. One miner, a gentle bear of a man, falls in love with the girl now known as "Polly". So much does he care for her, he purchases her papers from her owner. Her new owner releases her immediately from servitude and asks to marry her. She refuses. Though she loves him, she refuses to be bound to another human being ever again. Because interracial relationships were against every law of society, they move to a remote area of the mountains where they build a cabin and farm for the rest of their lives. I found this book to be heartbreakingly wonderful. It shows the resilience of the human spirit in a beautiful way. The author did a very good job of showing the world in which Lalu lived and I believe, captured the essence of a woman who has been dead for a hundred years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 That sounds like a wonderful book - I am SO going to have to get hold of a copy. It sounds exactly my cup of tea! I'm finding myself rather drawn to books with an Oriental aspect to them lately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamacita Posted June 21, 2006 Author Share Posted June 21, 2006 If you can't find it, let me know...I'll see if I can find one in our local used book stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Thanks, Mamacita. I shall have a trawl on the internet tonight & try all the usual places (RISI, GM, Amazon, etc)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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